Engelyn D.

Bagasbas
BEED III

Japanese literature

Japanese literature spans a period of almost two millennia and comprises one of the
major literatures in the world, comparable to English literature in age and scope. It comprises a
number of genres, including novels, poetry, and drama, travelogues, personal diaries and
collections of random thoughts and impressions. From the early seventh century until the present
there has never been a period when literature was not being produced by Japanese authors.
Japan adopted its writing system from China, often using Chinese characters to represent
Japanese words with similar phonetic sounds. Early works were heavily influenced by cultural
contact with China and Chinese literature, and was often written in Classical Chinese. Though
the Japanese writing system was adapted from Chinese, the two languages are unrelated. The
rich emotional vocabulary of the Japanese language gave rise to a refined sensitivity of
expression, while Chinese was often used to write about more intellectual and abstract concepts
such as morality and justice.
The nature of the spoken Japanese language, in which all words end with a simple vowel
and stress accents do not exist, shaped the development of poetic forms which were relatively
short in length and defined by the numbers of syllables in each line; and which sought above all
for precise expression and rich literary allusion. Official court patronage of poetry produced
strict artistic codes which dictated the vocabulary and form which could be used for poetic
expression. Prose emphasized the smooth transition from one statement to another, rather than
organization according to a formal theme.

Philippine Epic

Introduction

Centuries before the first Spanish ship set sail on Philippine shores, the country was already
steeped in cultural traditions, folklore, myths and epic stories. Usually in the form of poetry,
these pre-colonial Philippine epic stories were tales of adventure, love, heroism, magic and
origin passed on through story-telling.

Early Spanish records from historians like Antonio Pigafetta record the existence of the
incredibly imaginative, vivid and colorful stories from the natives. In fact, it is said that when
Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrived in Philippine shores in 1565, the natives performed a dramatic
play for him.

These Philippine epic stories, which were usually named after the hero of the story, were usually
performed on special occasions and events like feasts or rituals. They were usually about the life
of a native hero, his relationship with the native gods, battles and victories, feats of bravery and
adventures.

A lot of people think that the arrival of the Spaniards and their successful propagation of their
faith and culture erased all traces of the epic stories that told so much of pre-colonial culture,
beliefs and traditions of the Filipinos. In fact, the common story is that the Spaniards destroyed
all old records of the natives in an effort to fully colonize them.
Fortunately, however, this is not fully true. Though perhaps the colonizers did destroy some of
the records of the natives upon their arrival, we still have records of Philippine epic stories to
give us a glimpse into the lives of our ancestors and how they lived.

The Importance of Philippine Epic Stories

Why must we read the epic stories of our ancestors? What significance can they have in our
modern and increasingly global world?
It was Jose Rizal, the Philippine National Hero and one of the nation’s greatest writers who said
that the person who is incapable of looking back at his past will never reach his future (“Kung
sino ang hindi marunong tumingin sa pinanggagalingan ay hindi makararating sa
pinaroroonan.”).

The Philippine epic stories allow us to get to know we came from, what we were like, before the
colonizers. In order to understand the Filipino identity, we must look back at the musty pages of
the past and see who we were, before we can find out who we are.
And what better way to do so than through literature? Literature for every culture and
civilization, first and foremost, is a record of the times, the eras in which the writers lived in. The
reason why we pass on stories to each other is so that we can somehow chronicle the culture,
society, beliefs, plights and victories of an era – so the future generations can remember and
learn from it.

Reading Filipino epic stories enables the reader to discover a lost culture rich in splendor,
magnificence, magic and bravery.

Examples of Philippine Epic Stories

Bicol Epic Poetry: The Ibalon – An origin tale, the Ibalon tries to explain how man came to be.
Much like the story of Adam and Eve; it follows the tale of the first man and woman in the
regions Aslon and Ibalon (now Camarines, Sorsogon, Catanduanes and Albay).

It also narrates the adventures of the heroes of Ibalon and how they fought against monsters
before establishing their own village and learning to farm. The Ibalon also has an account
reminiscent of the flood story, where rains poured for days and almost destroyed the whole land.

Visayan Epic Poetry: The Maragtas Chronicles of Panay – This epic attempts to explain the
origins of the Filipinos and tells the story of 10 Datus or chieftains from Borneo that sail across
the oceans to escape the cruel reign of the Sultan Makatunaw. Upon arrival on Panay islands, the
datus meet a tribe of natives called the Aetas. The Aetas eventually sell a piece of their land to
the datus and they live side by side in harmony.

Old rules of conduct are also sometimes told in epic poetry form. The Haraya, also from the
Visayas, is a collection of moral conduct stories told in the form of heroic tales.

Mindanao Epic Poetry – Epic stories from Mindanao were only very recently put into writing.
Known locally as “Darangan”, these poems are very much like Greek mythology. The Darangan
tells the romantic adventures of noble warriors from Mindanao. A lot of the stories focus on one
warrior-prince, Bantugan, who owned magic shield and was protected by divine spirits.
A lot of the stories revolved around war and love, much like Homer’s Trojan War. But what
makes the Darangan extra special is that it is sung, instead of just said, in twenty-five beautiful
chapters.

Igorot Epic Poetry: Aliguyon – The Aliguyon follows the life of the hero after which the story is
named, who is gifted with great powers (he can travel to far places without resting or eating and
has never been beaten in a battle). He embarks on a series of fights with his arch-rival,
Pumbakhayon, the only warrior with skills that match his.

The duel lasts 3 years without anyone winning. So, in order to end things, Aliguyon decides to
marry Pumbakhayon’s sister, thus unifying their tribes.

Ilokano Epic Poetry: Lam-ang – This tale follows the unusual life of a boy who could talk and
right after he was born. At nine months old, he embarked on a journey to avenge his father’s
death, accompanied by his pets, a rooster and a dog. In one of his adventures, he is eaten by a sea
monster but comes back to life.

He then goes on a quest to win the heart of the famed beauty, Ines Kannoyan. When he arrives,
Ines’ house is filled with suitors. But with the help of his pet rooster who knocks the whole
house down and builds it up again with a flap of his wings, he eventually wins her heart.
Ann Margarette Villafllor
BEED III

Japanese Literature

Japanese literature, the body of written works produced by Japanese authors in Japanese or, in its
earliest beginning, at a time when Japan had no written language, in the Chinese
classical language.

Both in quantity and quality, Japanese literature ranks as one of the major literatures of the
world, comparable in age, richness, and volume to English literature, though its course of
development has been quite dissimilar. The surviving works comprise a literary tradition
extending from the 7th century CE to the present; during all this time there was never a “dark
age” devoid of literary production. Not only do poetry, the novel, and the drama have long
histories in Japan, but some literary genres not so highly esteemed in other countries—
including diaries, travel accounts, and books of random thoughts—are also prominent. A
considerable body of writing by Japanese in the Chinese classical language, of much greater bulk
and importance than comparable Latin writings by Englishmen, testifies to the Japanese literary
indebtedness to China. Even the writings entirely in Japanese present an extraordinary variety of
styles, which cannot be explained merely in terms of the natural evolution of the language. Some
styles were patently influenced by the importance of Chinese vocabulary and syntax, but others
developed in response to the internal requirements of the various genres, whether the terseness
of haiku (a poem in 17 syllables) or the bombast of the dramatic recitation.

Philippine Epic

Introduction

Centuries before the first Spanish ship set sail on Philippine shores, the country was already
steeped in cultural traditions, folklore, myths and epic stories. Usually in the form of poetry,
these pre-colonial Philippine epic stories were tales of adventure, love, heroism, magic and
origin passed on through story-telling.

Early Spanish records from historians like Antonio Pigafetta record the existence of the
incredibly imaginative, vivid and colorful stories from the natives. In fact, it is said that when
Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrived in Philippine shores in 1565, the natives performed a dramatic
play for him.

These Philippine epic stories, which were usually named after the hero of the story, were usually
performed on special occasions and events like feasts or rituals. They were usually about the life
of a native hero, his relationship with the native gods, battles and victories, feats of bravery and
adventures.
A lot of people think that the arrival of the Spaniards and their successful propagation of their
faith and culture erased all traces of the epic stories that told so much of pre-colonial culture,
beliefs and traditions of the Filipinos. In fact, the common story is that the Spaniards destroyed
all old records of the natives in an effort to fully colonize them.

Fortunately, however, this is not fully true. Though perhaps the colonizers did destroy some of
the records of the natives upon their arrival, we still have records of Philippine epic stories to
give us a glimpse into the lives of our ancestors and how they lived.

The Importance of Philippine Epic Stories

Why must we read the epic stories of our ancestors? What significance can they have in our
modern and increasingly global world?

It was Jose Rizal, the Philippine National Hero and one of the nation’s greatest writers who said
that the person who is incapable of looking back at his past will never reach his future (“Kung
sino ang hindi marunong tumingin sa pinanggagalingan ay hindi makararating sa
pinaroroonan.”).

The Philippine epic stories allow us to get to know we came from, what we were like, before the
colonizers. In order to understand the Filipino identity, we must look back at the musty pages of
the past and see who we were, before we can find out who we are.
And what better way to do so than through literature? Literature for every culture and
civilization, first and foremost, is a record of the times, the eras in which the writers lived in. The
reason why we pass on stories to each other is so that we can somehow chronicle the culture,
society, beliefs, plights and victories of an era – so the future generations can remember and
learn from it.

Reading Filipino epic stories enables the reader to discover a lost culture rich in splendor,
magnificence, magic and bravery.

Examples of Philippine Epic Stories

Bicol Epic Poetry: The Ibalon – An origin tale, the Ibalon tries to explain how man came to be.
Much like the story of Adam and Eve; it follows the tale of the first man and woman in the
regions Aslon and Ibalon (now Camarines, Sorsogon, Catanduanes and Albay).
It also narrates the adventures of the heroes of Ibalon and how they fought against monsters
before establishing their own village and learning to farm. The Ibalon also has an account
reminiscent of the flood story, where rains poured for days and almost destroyed the whole land.

Visayan Epic Poetry: The Maragtas Chronicles of Panay – This epic attempts to explain the
origins of the Filipinos and tells the story of 10 Datus or chieftains from Borneo that sail across
the oceans to escape the cruel reign of the Sultan Makatunaw. Upon arrival on Panay islands, the
datus meet a tribe of natives called the Aetas. The Aetas eventually sell a piece of their land to
the datus and they live side by side in harmony.
Old rules of conduct are also sometimes told in epic poetry form. The Haraya, also from the
Visayas, is a collection of moral conduct stories told in the form of heroic tales.

Mindanao Epic Poetry – Epic stories from Mindanao were only very recently put into writing.
Known locally as “Darangan”, these poems are very much like Greek mythology. The Darangan
tells the romantic adventures of noble warriors from Mindanao. A lot of the stories focus on one
warrior-prince, Bantugan, who owned magic shield and was protected by divine spirits.
A lot of the stories revolved around war and love, much like Homer’s Trojan War. But what
makes the Darangan extra special is that it is sung, instead of just said, in twenty-five beautiful
chapters.

Igorot Epic Poetry: Aliguyon – The Aliguyon follows the life of the hero after which the story is
named, who is gifted with great powers (he can travel to far places without resting or eating and
has never been beaten in a battle). He embarks on a series of fights with his arch-rival,
Pumbakhayon, the only warrior with skills that match his.
The duel lasts 3 years without anyone winning. So, in order to end things, Aliguyon decides to
marry Pumbakhayon’s sister, thus unifying their tribes.

Ilokano Epic Poetry: Lam-ang – This tale follows the unusual life of a boy who could talk and
right after he was born. At nine months old, he embarked on a journey to avenge his father’s
death, accompanied by his pets, a rooster and a dog. In one of his adventures, he is eaten by a sea
monster but comes back to life.
He then goes on a quest to win the heart of the famed beauty, Ines Kannoyan. When he arrives,
Ines’ house is filled with suitors. But with the help of his pet rooster who knocks the whole
house down and builds it up again with a flap of his wings, he eventually wins her heart.